Adjustable leg or the like



July 28, 1959 v B. E. WALLACE 2,896,982

ADJUSTABLE LEG oR THE LIKE Filed June 6, 1957 EEN" . INVENTOR United states Pat-@nio t 2,896,982 t ADJUsTAnLE LEG on THE LIKE Bernard E. Wallace, Exton, Pa. Application June 6, 19s7, seria1iNo. 663,951 s Claims. (el. 287-58) This invention relates to an adjustable leg or device of a like -naturewhich consists essentially `of va pair of elongated telescoping members, the structure, of course, being lengthened when the twomernbers` are'moved away from each other and shortened when they are moved toward each other. j

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a tripod construction, but I `wish it to be undertsood that the principles involved may be used in other constructions such as A-'frame supports, gantries and the like. I'also Wish it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to legs per se but is applicable to other devices Where telescoping members may be useful.V j Y Thev principal objects of the invention involve the provision of a construction Yof the 'Character described in which the vvtwo telescopngmembershave a self-locking feature which holds themintheir desired adjusted po-v sition; the provision of a constructionl in-whichth`e locking member cannot be removed or accidentally lost; to provide a construction which enables the user to use both hands in making necessary adjustments in length Without the necessity for applying one hand to the locking means, said means automatically functioning when the proper relative position of the parts has been effected; to provide a construction in which the locking mem-ber can be held in its unlocked position by a simple motion of one member of the leg with respect to the other; to provide a very sturdy construction capable of supporting very heavy loads; and to reduce the cost of equipment of this type.

How the foregoing objects together with such other objects as may appear hereinafter or are incident to my invention are attained is illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tripod suitable for supporting a Weight the legs of which tripod embody my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a much enlarged longitudinal section through one of the tripod legs;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the same scale as Fig. 2 taken at the point where the two telescoping members are locked together; and

Fig. 4 is a partial view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the locking bolt in its outermost position.

It will be seen rfrom the drawings that my improved leg includes a pair of telescoping members 5 and 6, the member 5 being the outer member and the member 6 the inner member. These members are of tubular construction, but it is obvious that other corrgurations might be employed. At its lower end the inner member 6 is provided with a ysuitable pointed foot member 7 and the outer member 5 is provided at its upper end with a connecting iixture 8 of whatever form may be necessary for the particular device in question. The inner member is also provided with a series of pairs of opposed bolt holes 9 which are adapted to cooperate with the locking means now to be described. f At the end where ICC the inner member 6 Venters the outer member 5, the latter is preferably provided with an external collar 10 hav# ing an interior opening which fits snugly around the outside of the member 5. A series of four'lugs'lll are arranged to abut against the lower end ofthe member 5 so asto properly position the collar on the member.

This collar is a convenient means for providingk a pair of opposed external enlargements 12 'and 13. The enlargement 12 is somewhat more'lug-like than the enlargement 13, but the purpose of both enlargements is essentially the same, namely, to provide'bolt aligning or receiving portions as will further appear. It will be understood, of course, that these .enlargements mightbe applied as individual members, but I prefer to embody them inthe collar 10 as'illustrated because the collar itself forms av strengthening member surrounding the tube 5 and makes it possible to use a tube section of less dimension. However, it is notalways essential to use the enlargement 113.

After thecollar 10 is applied a bolt hole is drilled through the enlargement or lug 12, the adjacent wall of the outer member 5, the opposite or opposed wall of the member, and finally into the enlargement 13. It is not necessary to drill the hole all the Way through the enlargement 13 so that the hole at this side becomes in effect a bolt recess 14. `This covers the end of the bolt, but as indicated above, it Will not be necessary in all instances to so cover Ithe bolt because it could project freely .through the 'hole in the outer member '5'.v

The bolt is preferably provided with anV enlarged 'Ahead 15, having .annular recess 16 surrounding acentral hub 17. The adjacent end Vof the bolt 1S ts into an opening in the hub and the 'bolt and the head are drilled to receive a coupling pin 19 which holds the parts together in the manner most clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

Surrounding the coupling and fitting into a groove or channel 20 is a coil spring 21 the ends of which are fastened to the head of the bolt, one at each side by means or" suitable hook portions 22. The spring is arranged to bias the bolt inwardly or into its closed or locking position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

One side of the bolt is provided with a longitudinal slot 23 and a transverse slot 24 which crosses the longitudinal slot near the inner end of the bolt. Extending through a suitable aperture in the enlargement or lug 12 is a pin 25 which may be screwed into place or otherwise suitably inserted. The parts are assembled so that the pin 25 will project into the slots 23 and 24, a stop member 26 being introduced at the inner end of the longitudinal slot 23 so lthat the 4bolt cannot be unintentionally removed or lost.

It is believed that the operation of the device is obvious from the description and the drawing but it might be pointed out that when it is desired to adjust the length of the leg the bolt is pulled outwardly suiiiciently far to clear fthe outer surface of the inner member 6 whereupon the inner member can be slid with respect to the outer member, the inner end of the pin sliding upon the surface of the member 6 until it comes into alignment with a pair of holes 9 whereupon the spring 21 instantly and automatically snaps the bolt into position to selflock the leg in its `adjusted position. There are times when it is convenient for the operator not to have the bolt automatically snap into its locking position and in such instances, after itis pulled outwardly suiciently far, it is simply rotated or turned slightly so that the pin 25 engages one side or the other of the transverse or cross slot 24 in which position it will hold the bolt in its unlocked position against the tension of 'the spring 21 as shown in Fig. 4. After the operator makes the desired adjustment with both hands free, it is a simple 3 matter tg tnrnnthe bnltlsliehtly iand VthereinI Permit' it te einen inte its. leekinapoeitienf I claim:

l. An adjustable leg or the like comprising a pair of telesennine. rnenrhers the enter et.. erhielt.` ieHrQYiflefl et one? ene Withta cellar, opreserlttrenererse bnltheles in the Gellarl ens-theetlieent: well nitlre. Seisnnter rnerrn ber, e belt adapted tQ-Sllde` in k.Seid helen, elnng'tunnal slant.. entthe. sidentA the. bolt, tranererselslnt neer the inner entij ef the eelt.v erossneseid lnngitntlnnl Slet, e nin; .enrredby. the. coller and arranged to., nreieetinwardlvfrom the. cellarV nter Seidy Slots,y a` Series ofA pairs of`4 nnhesed 'bolt holesinA the inner member eden-ted. te be alignedfwith the holes-in the enterl rnenrber nnen rel: .n.tve nevementhetween the members and, Springfrneans biasing, the. lvelt inwardly, tlney boltbeneadapted .te be heldA in its:- nntrnnst. position nnen rotation tlieretnf. te bringzsaid transverse slot into register saidpin.-

y2,."AV structure according toclai'm l wherein the bolt has an.: enlerger heed andwherein the SnringL Ineens is awcoil springfpassing aroundV the external member with its; ends( Seererl tothe head at opposed/peints- 3. An adjustable leg or the like comprising. avpair, o f teleseoping members the outer ofwhighis provided at one end. with. opposed external enlargements. e treneverSe .belt hele thrngh ene enlergententand thev edieeent wall oi said outer. member, an opposed bolt holein the Well et the other side ofv enid enten rnenrber, n bnltreceivingrecess in the other, enlargement in alignmentwith said opposedA holt ho1t,la bolt adapted to slide in said holes and recess, ay longitudinal slot onthe side of the belt e pnearried' bytsaid rst enlargementy enderranged to project inwardly into said slot, a series, of pairs -o f opposed bolt holes in the-inner. member. adapted to be aligned withthe holes in the outer member. upon relative movement between the membersand spring-means biasing the bolt inwardlyl 4. A structure according toclairn 3' wherein atransverse slot is provided in the bolt -near the inner end thereof crossing said longitudinal slot, said pin being adapted rto project into saidf transverse slot to hold the bolt in its outmost position upon rotation of the bolt.

5. A structure according to claim 4 wherein the bolt has an enlarged head and wherein the spring means is a coil spring passing around the external member With its ends secured to the head7 atr4 opposed points.

6- A Strnetnreraeenrdinggte elaine. 3f wherein the bolt has an enlarged head andI wherein the spring means is a coilspring passing. around the, external' member with its ends-secured-to the head` at opposedpoints.

7. An adjustable leg or the like comprising a pair of telescoping members the outer of. which is provided at one end with a bolt supporting external lug, a transverse bolt hole through said lug and said outer member, a bolt hole through said outer member directly opposite said lnebele? ebelt adapted te Slide. ,in Seide helen e longislot on thesideof the bolt, a pin carried by, said lng endv arranged, tet-proie@ .inwardly inter/Sei@ Slet, e Series nf pairs-:ef nnnnSesl belt helen in the inner member adepte@ te be elsnenrwitb the holes ein the enter member upon relative movement between` the members, and springrrneans. biasing` the bolt; inwardly.

8. A, strntlirg.ardi-ng,to.claim` 7 Wherein. the bolt has en enlarge@ heeel end wherenthe Snnfng .Ineens is. n eetl. entrinaneesinsnrnnnQ-,the external rnenrber with its ends- Seenred t0 the head et opposed Peints- Beferenees ,Citerltnthe .nie 0f this Patent UNITED s'rArnsA P-AfrinsnsY 

